


Till We're In The Sea

by BehindTheRobinsMask



Series: Till We're In The Sea [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Nightwing (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics), Teen Titans - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Crying, Eventual Happy Ending, Family, Fluff, M/M, Misunderstandings, Reconciliation, What-If, lots and lots of crying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-26
Updated: 2019-02-26
Packaged: 2019-11-06 05:18:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17933576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BehindTheRobinsMask/pseuds/BehindTheRobinsMask
Summary: What if Dick Grayson was the Robin that died?Jason Todd has never had a good relationship with luck but for some reason, every time Death comes to claim him, someone always saves him from her grasp, a guardian angel of sorts dressed in black and gold who has been watching over him since he became Robin.





	Till We're In The Sea

**Author's Note:**

> Recommended song - Till We're In The Sea by RKCB
> 
> Initially, when I first had the idea for this fic, I had very different plans for this but as I discovered this song (I usually need music when I write) it changed the direction of the story and I'm kind of glad it did.

**i.**

Jason’s lungs burned as he inhaled smoke instead of oxygen, flames dancing around and backing him into a corner. Where ever he looked, there was fire, leaving no way for him to escape.

This was it. After years of evading death’s poisonous touch, he had landed himself into a situation he couldn’t get out of. When the news first came to him, Jason could have taken the easy way out because, by the time he and Roy reached the scene, the building had been engulfed in flames, leaving most of the residents trapped within. The firefighters were doing their best but their best wasn’t good enough and they had no way of saving everyone without endangering their own lives. But Jason lived to save those who couldn’t save themselves. He had been given a chance to do something good with his life and he never forgot that. He couldn’t forget that. Instead of putting his safety first, he rushed into the building and brought out those he could. Then, during his last run, he was guiding a woman and her daughter to the exit when a log fell between them, separating him from the two and blocking his way. He encouraged them to go and then tried to find another way out but it wasn’t meant to be.

Knees weak and body demanding oxygen, Jason’s heart hammered in his chest. He knew he didn’t have long. “Red Hood, come in!” his communicator crackled but he made no effort to answer. His tracker has already been crushed because there was no way that he would endanger Roy’s life for a chance to save his own. His friend had a daughter to go back to and what kind of an uncle would Jason be if he couldn’t even ensure that? In a few seconds, hopefully, the smoke inhalation would knock him out and that would be the end of what he would feel.

“Damn it, Jay! Don’t do this!” Roy screamed, his voice breaking as he spoke but Jason didn’t say anything. Instead, he smiled glad to have someone like Roy Harper in his life. A good partner, a skilled fighter and the most supportive friend that anyone could ask for.

With his eyes closed, Jason Peter Todd accepted his fate with a smile on his face. He would die doing what he loved. He would die knowing a family would have a future and there was nothing more he could ask for. It was a peaceful end, more or less.

A loud thud snapped Jason out of his reverie and his eyes opened to find a man clad in black and gold standing before him, hand outstretched. Bruce had always warned him about Talons and their danger, yet, Jason could trust this man with his life. He knew his guardian wouldn’t ever let him down.

“Come,” Talon spoke and Jason almost laughed because this was the first time he had heard the man speak.

With a smile and swaying steps, Jason took Talon’s hand and lost himself to the darkness, knowing his guardian would never let him down.

 

When Jason came to, he couldn’t help but wince under the harsh glare of the lights attached to the ceiling. He blinked rapidly until his eyes finally adjusted and he realized that he was back in the cave, an IV attached to his right arm and his heart rate was being monitored. On a chair next to the bed sat Tim, his head was slumped to the side as he snored softly and a book lay on the edge of his lap, ready to slip off.

Seeing his younger brother, Jason didn’t know how to feel. He was so sure that he was going to die, that there was no way for him to escape the flames. Come tomorrow, he would be one with the ashes. But here he was, in the cave, alive and breathing. Once again, the mysterious man dressed like a Talon had come to his aid, pulling him out of yet another sticky situation. It didn’t matter where Jason went, if there was danger, Talon would always be there like a guardian angel.

And it wasn’t just Jason. The man had rescued everyone who associated themselves with Batman at least once. Hell, Jason was sure that Talon had saved Batman’s life at one point as well, even if his adoptive father would never admit it.

A giggle escaped Jason’s lips as he remembered how Talon had saved him, how the man had spoken in front of him for the very first time. Since the day Jason had taken up the mantle of Robin, Talon had watched over him but never once did the man speak. If he needed to communicate (which wasn’t often since Talon usually knocked out Jason, activated his distress signal and left after saving him, never giving the younger a chance to make small talk or even express his gratitude) he used sign language instead, something every Robin had learned after meeting the man in black and gold. At one point, Jason just assumed that Talon was mute. Apparently, he was wrong.

“Jay?” Tim spoke, rubbing his eyes as he woke up, shifting around in his chair and groaning when his book finally slid off his lap.

“Hey, baby bird,” Jason greeted and realized how dry his throat was for the first time since waking up.

Tim kept his book on the side table and grabbed a cup of water for Jason, bringing it to the older’s lips and helping him drink. It wasn’t that Jason was too weak, it was just that Tim was a worrier and whenever any of them got hurt, he would always be hovering around like a mother hen.

Once done, Jason sat upright, wincing when he felt the pain in his muscles, and then turned to Tim who shifted nervously in his seat. “What’s wrong?” he asked the younger, eyes narrowing. What could have possibly happened while he was sleeping to put his brother on the edge? “Wait, where’s Roy?” Any other day, the archer would have stayed by Jason’s side until he recovered and after the stunt he had pulled, there was no way Roy was leaving without chewing Jason out.

“Roy’s fine. He’s with B right now,” Tim answered, placing a calming hand on Jason’s shoulder but that didn’t ease the feeling of dread settling in the pit of his stomach. He had a feeling that something was wrong because Bruce and Roy couldn’t stand to be in the same room as one another.

Bruce thought that Roy was a bad influence and preferred that his sons stay away from the redhead. Roy thought Bruce was full of shit.

“What’s going on?” Jason asked and Tim paled, fingers tightening around the cape of his uniform.

“Talon… he saved you but he ended up getting hurt really badly in the process,” Tim started and Jason felt his heart sink.

“Is he-”

“He’s alive and getting the required treatment here at the cave. When Talon pulled you out of the fire, he kind of just passed out and Roy didn’t know what to do so he brought you both here,” Tim explained before Jason could assume the worst.

“Then why do you look so scared? What are you not telling me?” Jason asked, knowing that this couldn’t be the reason why Tim was nervous unless Bruce had decided to throw Talon in Arkham. There was no way Jason would let that happen.

Tim took a deep breath and then another. When he finally looked at Jason, his lips were pressed into a thin line and eyes hard. “Talon’s mask was broken and now we know who he is. We know the identity of our guardian.”

Jason’s breath got caught in his throat as he waited for Tim to continue. But a part of him already knew what his brother was going to say. A part of him had always just… known.

“It’s Richard Grayson.”

 

The first time Jason met Talon, he was 16 and sure that he wasn’t going to live long enough to see the next day. After all, he was in the clutches of the Joker, hearing the man laugh over and over as his crowbar struck Jason repeatedly.

_“The first little birdie went and bled out,” the Joker sang, his arms spread as he twirled the crowbar in his hand. “The second little birdie…” He paused to think, a finger stroking his chin until a wide grin spread across his painted face. “The second little birdie,” he continued, lifting Jason’s face. “Got blown up.”_

_Fear filled Jason’s bones as he looked at the woman he called mother, the one who had sold him out to save her own skin. Their eyes met and she looked away, guilt marring her face but she made no move to save him. Instead, she stepped back, trying to disappear into the shadows and Jason couldn’t help but smile. Of course, she didn’t care about him. But even so, Jason had hope. He knew that Bruce would come for him. His partner, his father wouldn’t abandon him._

_And that’s when the lights went out._

_Darkness descended upon the warehouse, blinding and Jason strained himself to hear anything at all. “Hey! Who cut my spotlight?!” Joker demanded, his voice shrill but no one answered. All Jason could hear were the goons grunting followed by the sound of bodies hitting the floor. “…Batsie?” the crazed villain asked and Jason smiled. Batman has come for him. But as the Joker shrieked in fear, a symphony of whos and whys falling from his lips, Jason wasn’t so sure anymore._

_Finally, there was silence, no villains left to laugh and the lights turned on. There was no Batman, instead, in his place stood a man dressed in black and gold, an owl’s mask adorning his face and a bloodied knife in his hand. He walked over Joker’s unconscious body, sheathed his blade and knelt down before Jason._

_“W-who?” Jason asked, his body so weak that he was barely able to form sentences but the man didn’t answer._

_Instead, he silently gathered the barely conscious Robin in his arms and carried him out of the warehouse. Jason should have struggled against this unknown man but as his warmth surrounded the younger’s body, he felt safe and so, he closed his eyes and let the darkness comfort him._

When Jason had finally come to, he was in a hospital, all patched up with Bruce by his side. His savior was nowhere to be found and even Bruce, who always seemed to know everything seemed lost when it came to the man clad in black and gold. He had checked the hospital’s security feed but it had been wiped clean. 

After that, he didn’t see Talon for a while until Jason landed himself in another sticky situation. He had tried to follow the man, to question and thank him for everything he had done but he could never get Talon in his grasps. He simply didn’t want to be found. Now, here he was, unconscious and covered in bandages, his face exposed.

Richard John Grayson was the first Robin and the person Jason could never live up to. None of them could. Not even Bruce’s biological son. The Robin who died and the one that Bruce could never forget, no matter who it was, to them he was magical, almost close to a dream. If Batman was darkness, then Richard was the light that tethered Bruce to his humanity. He did the same for Batgirl and then, for anyone who he had the privilege of meeting him.

“Hey, how are you feeling?” Roy asked, standing beside Jason.

Turning his attention to his friend, Jason couldn’t help but feel bad for him. There were dark circles under his eyes and his hair was sticking out in all directions as if he had been pulling on it. This situation couldn’t have been easy on him. “Shouldn’t I be asking you that?” Jason asked and Roy smiled.

“It’s just strange.” Roy started, eyes moving to where Richard lay unconscious. “When we were kids, it was always Wally, me and Dick. We sidekicks had to stick together yanno. He was my teammate, my best friend and then he was dead. I mourned him and God, I missed him so much but now he’s here. He’s alive and I don’t know how to feel. Should I be angry because he let me believe he was dead for all these years or should I be scared that I might lose him again?”

Placing a comforting hand on Roy’s shoulder, Jason looked back at Richard, at his Talon. “You know he’s been watching over you,” he assured.

“I know. Dick was always a sentimental fool,” Roy whispered. “When Wally died-”

“The first time or the…?”

“Shut up.” Roy punched him playfully, grinning. “As I was saying, when Wally died… the first time” He glared at Jason. “When I visited his grave, it would always be clean, adorned with a fresh set of flowers and this happened every day, for a month. We didn’t know who was doing this but I guess I know now.”

The two stood in silence staring at the man who had a place in both their hearts as a friend and as a guardian.

“Speaking of Wally, are you gonna tell him?” Jason asked, breaking the silence.

Roy sighed and rubbed his face, his eyes more tired than ever. “I thought about waiting until Dick woke up but now I’m not sure. His injuries aren’t extensive but…”

“You’re scared he’ll disappear again,” Jason added.

“I mean it’s obvious he didn’t want to be found and there’s no guarantee that he’ll want to stay,” Roy sighed once again. “I gotta tell Wally… and Donna… oh god, I can’t forget Donna otherwise I might get lassoed into outer space.”

Jason winced at the idea and gave Roy a sympathetic look because he knew the worst was yet to come. Telling people about Dick meant asking for permission and that would not be easy, at all.

“Bats isn’t going to be happy about this, is he?” Roy asked.

“Nope.”

 

**ii.**

Dick Grayson was made of love, made to fly and to be free of sorrow’s shackles. Even when his world shattered with a single snap, in the darkest time he found his light, found his reason to smile and Bruce couldn’t help but be in awe of the nine-year-old boy who had lost everything. In Dick’s sadness he saw a reflection of himself but in his happiness, Bruce saw a stranger he couldn’t understand. Yet, despite their many differences, Dick had found a place for himself in Bruce’s life and soon, he became such an important part of him that Batman couldn’t go on without his Robin.

Back then, Bruce had known that the life he led was a dangerous one and certainly no place for a child but he as he sat next to the younger boy and watched him design his first costume using his family’s colors, he simply couldn’t say no to him. Dick Grayson belonged to the night as much as Batman did. Soon, Batman had a sidekick and Bruce Wayne had a son.

And then Dick was gone.

The younger has been Bruce’s responsibility and he couldn’t keep him safe.

His partner. His soldier. His son. His fault.

Now, staring at Dick’s unconscious body, Bruce couldn’t help but wonder where he went wrong. After all, the boy he thought was dead had been alive all along. He had grown into a man away from Bruce’s sight, never once returning home but keeping himself close to the shadows of those he loved. The only consolation was that he knew Dick didn’t hate him. At least, he hoped that the younger didn’t since he had once saved Bruce from himself.

_“Ahahaha! Yes, Batsie! Just like that!” The Joke cackled as Bruce pinned him down, bruises covering his pale skin. “You almost hit me as hard as I hit your precious birdie!” Dick’s face flashed in Bruce’s mind, his innocent eyes and loving smile, making his blood boil as his fingers clenched into fists. “I clipped his wings and I’ll happily do it all over again to your new birdie,” Joker sneered._

_“No!” Bruce roared, his fist connecting with Joker’s face and making blood spill from his lips. Batman would keep Jason safe. No one would take his Robin away from ever again._

_Joker spat out blood and started to laugh once again, almost as if he was mocking Batman and his desire to keep his ward safe. “You can’t stop me,” he taunted. “I made the first one cry in pain for you, over and over.”_

_“Stop,” Bruce commanded, his fingers wrapping around Joker’s throat._

_“Batman will come for me! He’ll save me,” The Joker imitated Dick, raising the pitch of his voice and his face morphing into mock anger. Bruce’s fingers tightened, choking the Joker but he didn’t stop. He kept repeating ‘Batman will save me.’ over and over until he couldn’t breathe._

_Bruce’s body trembled with anger, his mind remembering Dick, broken and bruised, lying in a pool of his own blood. His son had been taken from him and he couldn’t do anything. He couldn’t protect the one person who brought light into his life. Maybe with this, he would be able to avenge the boy who never got to live out the rest of his days in peace. If the Joker were to die here, wouldn’t so many children be safe?_

_As the Joker choked, his fingers clawing against Bruce’s hold, despite the pain he was in, there was a triumphant smile on his face. Bruce knew this was what the villain wanted but he couldn’t stop, not when all he could see was his son who deserved a better life. His son who didn’t deserve to die._

_Suddenly, something black flashed past him and Bruce found his body being pushed away from the Joker’s. He growled at the interruption, coming face to face with a man dressed in black and gold, hands held up as if he were trying to calm a cornered animal._

_“Who the hell are you?” Bruce demanded, eyes narrowing but the man didn’t answer. Instead, he made signs with his fingers, gestures that Bruce could understand._

_‘Batman doesn’t kill.’ The stranger signed and Bruce let out another growl._

_How could this man know what Batman did and did not do?_

_“The Joker-”Bruce started but the stranger continued to sign, his movements more aggressive as if he were frustrated._

_‘Batman does not kill. If he kills then he’s no different from the villains he fights every day.’_

_“Get the hell out of my way,” Bruce threatened, getting off the ground but the stranger didn’t move. Instead, he pulled down the cloth covering the lower half of his face and exposed his lips._

_“Please,” he croaked, his voice hoarse but so familiar that Bruce felt a chill run down his spine. “If you kill the Joker, you’ll kill Batman.”_

_“…Dick?” Bruce called out, his throat tightening._

_“Gotham needs you. Your Robin needs you.” The stranger finished, completely ignoring what Bruce had said._

_With a careful step, Bruce moved towards the stranger but stopped as his body stiffened, looking as though he was ready to bolt. Outside, he could hear the sound of police sirens and he knew it was time to leave but he couldn’t move. At that moment, all he wanted was to unmask the stranger, to see his son’s face one more time. Even though his brain reminded him that Dick was dead, his heart said otherwise and for the first time, he let it guide him instead of logic._

_But as he moved forward, the stranger threw down a smoke bomb and grappled away before Bruce could react, leaving him behind with questions that he couldn’t answer._

After that, Bruce never saw the stranger again and he dismissed the idea that the stray Talon could be Dick. He had buried his son and there was just no way for him to come back. At least, that’s what he thought at the time.

But here Dick was, alive and breathing, and this time, Bruce wouldn’t let him slip out of his hands. No matter what the circumstances, his son had come back home.

Bruce was sitting in the Batcave, going over any information he had in his files on resurrection. He needed to know what happened to Dick, how he came back and where he went from there. It wasn’t unusual for once dead people to come back to life because of different circumstances, especially in the case of metahumans. But Dick Grayson wasn’t a meta. He was just a normal boy who was pushed into the life of crime fighting at a young age.

Rubbing his eyes, Bruce had just shifted to watching over Dick when someone moved behind him. Looking back, he found Roy Harper waiting for him, seemingly nervous as he rubbed the back of his neck.

“What is it?” Bruce asked, his voice rough and while he didn’t intend to speak to the redhead with hostility, too tired to fight with anyone right now, anger still seeped into his voice.

Roy shot Bruce an unhappy look, his nervousness replaced with irritation as he crossed his arms. “We need to talk,” he bit out.

It was never a secret that Bruce wasn’t Roy’s biggest fan. Whether the redhead was working as Green Arrow’s sidekick Speedy or as Jason’s teammate Arsenal, Bruce never approved of his attitude or actions. But for some reason, Dick had found a close friend in Roy and later, so had Jason and there was nothing Bruce could do about it but tolerate his presence.

“I want to tell Wally and Donna about Dick. They deserve to know,” Roy said.

Bruce clenched his fists and opened his mouth to shoot down the redhead because he wasn’t ready to expose his son to so many people. It simply wasn’t a good idea.

“Before you say no, just think about it. When Dick wakes up, we don’t know if he’ll want to stay and our chances of bringing him back into the fold will only decrease if he’s surrounded by people who don’t know him and no offense, but you kinda have the emotional depth of a teaspoon,” Roy explained and Bruce grunted.

“And you think bringing in more people won’t just overwhelm him?” Bruce asked, not commenting on Roy’s jab at his inability to express emotions that weren’t anger and annoyance.

“We go in one by one, remind him that he’s loved. After all these years alone, he deserves to be around people who care,” Roy said, the anger in his eyes replaced by sadness. Roy Harper wasn’t a stranger to being lost and feeling as though there was no one in the world that understood him. He didn’t know what Dick had been through over the years and all he wanted was to make sure his best friend got the affection that he needed to be himself once again.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Bruce leaned back in his chair, thinking over Roy’s words.

Dick had always attracted people to him like moths to a flame. He was a social being who loved the attention that he received from those he loved and it was within teams that he thrived the most. Despite his nature, he had stayed alone all these years, watching everyone from afar. Had he been denying himself the presence of his family? Did he need them anymore? Bruce couldn’t answer that, not only Dick woke up. Maybe he had changed. Maybe he had become a solitary being but Bruce hoped that wasn’t the case.

He didn’t want his son to have grown up and become another version of him.

“Tell them,” Bruce whispered and Roy stared at him, wide-eyed.

“You serious?”

“Yes. Maybe they could bring my son back to me,” he answered.

This time, Roy made no comments. 

 

Bruce had been sitting in front of the computer in the Batcave for what seemed like forever. In his hand was an empty coffee mug, his sixth one in the past two hours. His behavior wasn’t healthy but he couldn’t move, not when Dick could wake up any moment, find himself alone and run away. Till now, the oldest Robin had been in and out of consciousness but he was too high on sedatives to stay awake or realize where he really was.

“Master Bruce,” Alfred said as he walked up to the computer and collected the empty coffee mugs Bruce had been through. “You need rest,” he stated, his lips turned into a frown.

“I’m fine. Someone needs to keep an eye on him.” Bruce shook his head.

“You are most certainly not fine and require rest. If there are any changes in Master Dick’s condition, you will be informed. Till then, I don’t want to see you in the cave until you’ve had eight hours or more of sleep,” Alfred said and Bruce opened his mouth to argue but the butler shot him down. “That was not a suggestion.”

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Bruce got out of his chair with a sigh knowing that there was no point in arguing with Alfred. If the older put his foot down, there was no convincing him otherwise.

Glancing at Dick one last time, Bruce headed to the stairs that led out of the cave but with every step he took, anxiety gnawed at him. He wanted to be here so desperately, to see his son smile one more time. “Do you think he’ll stay?” he asked, looking back at the monitor.

“I don’t know. What I do know is that we can’t force his hand. Master Dick is no longer a child,” Alfred answered, not looking at Bruce.

“But what if he leaves?” he asked and the butler sighed.

“Then that would be his choice and if you love him, you will let him have that and then, one day, he will return when he’s ready.”

Alfred was right. The older was always right but Bruce had fallen into a habit of not listening, especially when Alfred didn’t agree with him. This time, however, he understood what the butler meant. Dick was his own person and while he was Bruce’s son, right now, he was a stranger who had lived his life in circumstances that only he could understand. He deserved a choice, even if that meant leaving his family once again. Even though it would break his heart, Bruce would give him that because he had failed Dick once and he couldn’t do it again.

“Thank you, Alfred,” Bruce whispered and when the older didn’t reply, he made his way up the stairs and towards his room.

Once out of the cave, exhaustion hit Bruce unexpectedly and he realized just how tired he had been all along. By now, the boys had gone to bed. He had made sure of that, despite Jason and Tim’s many protests. They wanted to stay awake and watch over Dick but Tim had spent the whole night patrolling Gotham and Jason still hadn’t fully recovered from his last mission. While lecturing his boys about taking care of their health Bruce forgot one important detail, he himself had been awake for two nights without any rest whatsoever.

Stifling a yawn, he pushed open the door to his room and stopped short as he noticed someone sitting on his bed. Green eyes met his as Hal Jordan gave him a slow smile, dressed in casual clothes.

“Hey, Spooky,” Hal greeted and Bruce felt his throat tighten with emotions he was trying to push away.

“I thought you were off-world,” he whispered as the other pulled him into a hug.

Soon he was engulfed in Hal’s warmth, fingers brushing back his hair and putting his mind at ease. “I got a message and headed back as soon as I could.”

“Message?” Bruce asked, a little startled.

“It was Roy. All he told me was that I needed to come here as soon as possible. I only got the complete details once I arrived.” Hal smiled reassuringly as he pulled back to look at Bruce. “How are you holding up, Bruce?”

Taking in a shaking breath, Bruce buried his face in the crook of Hal’s neck, inhaling his scent. “Better now that you’re here,” he whispered, being honest about his emotions for the first time in days.

Later, he would find a way to thank Roy.

 

**iii.**

Unlike the other Robins, Tim had once met Richard Grayson, though at the time he was just a child. Richard was still living with his family and was a part of the ‘Flying Graysons’ of Haly’s circus. Anyone who had seen him perform could tell that Richard was meant to fly and as Tim watched the Flying Graysons in their element, he knew that day was the best day of his life.

But then his best turned to worst as Richard’s parents fell to their deaths and the boy Tim admired so broke down into tears. There was nothing Tim could do to help as his father gathered him in his arms and took him away. After that, he only saw Richard on TV after he became Bruce Wayne’s ward. Tim was glad to see that the older boy had found a new family and was finally happy again. It would be such a shame if his bright smile was lost.

But then, Richard died and Tim cursed himself because by now, he had known who Batman was. Maybe if he had confronted Bruce earlier about his life as a vigilante, Tim could have somehow helped Richard, been a partner for the Robin and saved him from certain death.

Somehow, despite the tragic turn of events, Tim became a part of Batman’s strange family, finding a father figure in Bruce and an older brother in Jason. Soon Damian joined the fold and despite the boy’s initial dislike towards the previous Robins, he slowly came to be a little brother Tim cared for dearly, even if he didn’t show it as such. Unfortunately, despite the love that existed between the brothers, there was always something missing, an anchor that connected them to Bruce. Maybe that anchor was Richard Grayson but the original Boy Wonder was gone.

At least, that’s what Tim always thought as he stared at the photo he had taken with Richard and his family when he was a child. It was a memento he held dear, something that gave him his own connection to the first Robin. How was he to know that the Talon that saved his life so many times was, in fact, the boy he had admired so much?

_With Bruce out of town and Jason on a mission as the Redhood, Tim was the only one left to defend Gotham. Yes, Batgirl was around but usually, their patrol routes didn’t cross and she was more than capable of handling things on her own. This meant that Tim was on his own and he never thought that he’d ever get such a chance considering how reluctant Bruce was to let him go out on the field._

_Now, here he was, patrolling the city but the night had been slow. It was as if the villains had decided to take a break and stay home. Since nothing was really happening, Tim let his guard down as he stopped on a rooftop to just watch the city come to life with artificial lights. Gotham was so beautiful yet so cruel to the people that called her home._

_Taking out his grapple gun, Tim had just resumed patrol when something hit his back mid-swing, making him lose control and fall into an alley unceremoniously. Pain shot through his body and he let out a groan, knowing that he would have bruises to show for this but for now, he had thugs to deal with, thugs who were closing in on him with bats._

_“Now, fellas, that wasn’t very nice,” he commented, getting to his feet but the thugs were clearly not interested in a conversation since they simply attacked without uttering a single world. It was almost refreshing because villains seemed to love their monologues before executing any plans._

_As Tim dodged and retaliated, his mind buzzed with thoughts. It was safe to assume that they had been watching him for long enough to know which route he took during patrol and while Tim held his own against the men, they seemed to be familiar with his fighting style. This only meant that someone out there really had a grudge against him. And there were only two people who would go to such lengths to take down Robin. One of them, being the Joker, was out of the question because the clown loved his theatrics too much to send normal thugs after Tim. These guys, they were Two-Face’s men._

_The unfortunate thing was that Tim had only been Robin for a few weeks while these were trained men. Even though he tried his best, this fight proved to be difficult for him and if Tim didn’t get killed, he would definitely get benched by Bruce for a whole year._

_Dodging one swing, Tim found himself right in the path of another, the bat aimed straight for his head and everything happened to fast for him to dodge. But as he opened his eyes, he realized the hit never connected as the thug lay on the floor unconscious. With his back to Tim and fists raised stood the Talon that Jason had told him about so many times._

_Tim should have helped him instead of just standing and staring but he couldn’t help it. Talon was mesmerizing, his movements so graceful that he looked like he was dancing._

_A battle cry snapped Tim out of his daze and he pushed himself back into the fight. Within in no time, the thugs had been defeated and Tim called GCPD just as Talon pulled out his grapple gun. He knew better than the follow the man since he had heard so many stories about Jason’s failure._

_“Thank you!” he blurted out before Talon was out of sight and the older gave him a nod of acknowledgment._

_Then he was gone, becoming one with the night._

“How’s he doing?” Jason asked, joining Tim at the cave, holding two mugs in his hand.

As of now, Tim was still on surveillance duty while Bruce slept. Roy had already left to track down Wally and Donna and had promised to return as soon as possible but with Lian by his side. He could only spend so much time away from his daughter.

“His vitals are stable and Alfred thinks he’ll wake up soon,” Tim answered accepting the coffee mug from Jason with a silent thank you.

“Think we’ll have a fight on our hands when he wakes up?” Jason asked and Tim groaned.

The last thing he wanted was to fight with anyone, especially Richard Grayson, considering the man had saved his life one too many times. Jason seemed to share the sentiment as he patted Tim’s back.

“It would be a shame to hurt his pretty face,” Jason hummed, sipping his coffee.

Tim scrunched his nose because apparently, Jason seemed to share the sentiment but for different reasons. “You’re so weird.”

“I just call him like I see’em, baby bird.” Jason grinned.

“You’re going to scare him away with your flirting, aren’t you?” Tim sighed and Jason glared at him.

“I’ll have you know that I am an expert at flirting,” Jason huffed.

Tim shook his head and turned back to the monitor, his breath caught in his throat. “Well I guess we’ll find out if that’s true or not,” he said.

After all, Richard Grayson was awake and staring straight at the camera.

 

**iv.**

There were days when Dick Grayson looked in the mirror and he couldn’t recognize who he was anymore. As a child, all he ever wanted was to stay by his family, the circus and his precious friend Zitka but that dream was ripped away from him. But that was okay. Under Bruce Wayne’s wing, he had the chance anew. This time he had a new goal, to protect the dreams of those who were helpless and even though it was so different from what he knew, he loved his new life.

And then he died.

In the clutches of the Court Of Owls, he learned that only the foolish hoped for happiness and the safety that came with being around those you loved. The parents that he had loved so much, the parents he had mourned until his last breath didn’t truly love him. He was born to be a weapon and weapons simply couldn’t afford to feel.

But Dick had always felt emotions so strongly. Ever since he was a child, he was always in tune with the feelings of those around him. At that time, little did he know that the future had nothing but pain in store for him.

Then, one day the walls of the Court crumbled to dust and Dick flew like a bird, tasting freedom on his tongue but it wasn’t meant to be. His wings were chained and he was thrust into a cage once again. If Talia Al Ghul wanted something, she would take it, no matter what the cost. Despite her dislike towards Robin, Talia saw Dick as an opportunity to hurt Batman, the man who rejected her advances time and again. Or maybe this was her sick way of showing Bruce all that she could do for him, all the reasons why he should love her. Dick never truly understood.

All he knew was that just as the Court, under Talia he was trained to be something he never wanted to be: a killer. But Dick had learned his lesson. He counted the days until the opportunity arrived and Talia let him return to Gotham under the pretense that Batman’s own son would bring the rains of hell down upon him.

In the end, Dick went against the lessons of the Court and denied Talia her strongest desire. Instead, he went back home, to the one place where he knew he would be accepted because Bruce wasn’t like his parents or Haly. Bruce truly cared for Dick.

That was the last time Dick Grayson ever held onto hope.

From the shadows, Dick watched as another wore his colors and called himself Bruce father. He himself never dared to use that word because he was just the ward and never the son. The one person he wanted to see the most, the one person who he believed would still love him had so easily replaced him.

Now that very replacement sat before Dick, holding up a glass of water.

“Drink, you’ll feel better,” Jason Todd whispered, pressing a straw to his lips.

Dick eyed Jason warily and shook his head even though his throat was dry, screaming at him to sate his thirst. He didn’t know what the water contained and since he didn’t plan to stay in the cave for long, he wasn’t willing to take any chances. He knew how Batman functioned and there was no way Bruce would let him walk out of here.

“So suspicious.” Jason rolled his eyes as he settled into his chair, placing the glass on the side table.

Silence filled the room as Jason stared at Dick and the older ignored his gaze, fingers gripping the white sheets that covered his body. He could feel a dull ache which he knew was bound to increase as the anesthetic washed out of his system. He could probably get more drugs but then he wouldn’t be able to think and if he wanted to get out, he needed his mind to be clear. There was no doubt that over the years Bruce would have changed the security codes which would just make Dick’s escape more difficult. There was also a matter of finding clothes since he had been stripped naked and a get-away vehicle. There had to be something in the cave that wasn’t tagged.

“I guess this is my chance to thank you for looking after me for so many years,” Jason started, bringing Dick’s attention to himself.

Dick’s fingers tightened around the sheets. He didn’t want Jason’s gratitude. Hell, there was a time in his life where he wanted nothing to do with the former Robin. After all, he was the boy that replaced Dick. But when he saw Jason in the Joker’s clutches, all Dick could see was himself and he jumped into the fray to save the boy. And then, he continued to do so, over and over, for Timothy, for Damian, for every person that Bruce almost failed to save.

He never understood why.

“You should have come back home,” Jason suddenly said and Dick’s body stiffened. “He missed you every day, you know. You don’t know the number of days I’ve found him staring at your old uniform with so much pain in his eyes.”

Swallowing his own spit, Dick looked away because what Jason had said was a lie. It had to be. Bruce had replaced him with someone new so why would he miss him? Dick meant nothing to him and that’s why he couldn’t save him the first time. That’s why he never came for him when the Court bled out every drop of hope that coursed through his body and Talia broke him mercilessly, turning him into a shell of who he used to be.  

“You don’t believe me do you?” Jason asked, his lips turned into a frown.

“He never needed me,” Dick whispered, not knowing why he chose to answer the former Robin.

Getting to his feet, Jason placed a comforting hand on Dick’s shoulder and the older almost flinched because of the sudden touch. “You’re wrong you know,” he said and then walked out of the room while Dick’s heart broke all over again.

 

Dick dreamt that he was drowning in an ocean of his own mistakes, words wrapping around his limbs like chains, cutting into his skin and bleeding him dry. He screamed and thrashed against the currents that pulled him under but with every cry, he saw the faces of the ones he loved so dearly and the ones who no longer needed him. He had no purpose so he made oneself for him but it wasn’t enough. It would never be enough.

And so, in the repeating dream, he’d continue to fight relentlessly because he never learned how to give up. He was too afraid to give up.

As the last of his screams came crashing back to him, Dick’s eyes snapped open and he found himself back in the cave. Jason was no longer here. In his place sat the youngest Robin, Bruce’s son, Damian Wayne. With his feet barely touching the ground, Damian was bent over a white sheet, drawing without any care in the world. Shifting in his bed, Dick tried to get a glimpse of what the younger was doing.

“Has no one ever told you that it is rude to peek?” Damian asked without looking up and Dick smiled.

While the rest of the family put him on edge and he preferred not to stay in their presence, Damian was the only one who put him at ease. Maybe it was because the youngest Robin never expected anything from him the way the others did.

“I grew up in the circus, Little D. There are no manners there,” Dick answered, speaking to the youngest for the first time.

Damian looked up from what he was doing and stared at Dick with his vivid green eyes, a small smile forming on his face. “So you do speak, after all. Though I must say, that nickname sounds just as bad as I thought it would.”

Dick couldn’t help but laugh at this while Damian’s lips turned into a frown. “This is not a laughing matter, Talon,” he scolded but with his baby face and the small pout, how was Dick supposed to take him seriously?

In the beginning, Dick used to think that befriending the Damian Wayne could turn out to be a mistake. After all, he was the Batman’s son, who was to know if his camaraderie towards Dick was true or just a façade to uncover his identity. But the current Robin never asked him any questions about his life. All he ever did was bring him food that he thought the Talon would enjoy. Sometimes to change things up, they would spar and as time passed by, Damian would share his problems with Dick. But he never pushed for information about Dick’s personal life and the older appreciated that.

“Are you going to stay… Grayson?” Daman asked, using Dick’s actual name and the older flinched.

“I have no place here,” Dick answered, looking away from Damian, his stomach churning and all he wanted was to disappear into the Earth and never see Gotham again.

That was the plan, to escape this city and shadow of the bat, to disappear into the night and never be found again. He didn’t know what he would do after that but it would be better to leave to stay in a place where he was never wanted.

“Is that what you really think, Boy Blunder?” Barbara asked, wheeling herself into the room.

Dick’s body began to tremble at the sight of his oldest friend, tears stinging the back of his eyes. It didn’t matter how many years passed by or how much distance he put between himself and the former Batgirl, Barbara Gordon had this aura of warmth around herself that made Dick break down. In her presence, all he ever wanted to do was to lay his head in her lap and shed every tear he had bottled inside of him because he knew she would never judge him for being weak. She would let him be human and it had been so long since he had done that.

“I suppose it is time for me to leave,” Damian said, hopping off his chair and collecting his things.

“Little D…” Dick whispered but Damian just shook his head.

“I hope that you will stay, Grayson,” he said and left the room, an unsettling silence left behind in his wake.

Once close enough, Barbara reached out her fingers and traced Dick’s face gently, her eyes watering as she cupped his cheeks. “You really are here.” She smiled and Dick could no longer control his shaking body. Soon he was in her arms, sniveling and crying like a child, whimpers falling from his lips as she held him close, surrounding him with her warmth. Barbara cried along with him and for a moment Dick felt loved. There was finally someone out there who needed him, who missed him.

“How could you stay away?” Barbara demanded, lifting up his face but Dick didn’t know how to answer.

He pulled away from her grip and shook his head because what was he to say? How was he to put his misery and pain into words?

“Do you know how miserable we were when you died? How we mourned you? How we missed you every day?” she asked, gripping onto his arm.

“Bruce--- he--” Dick tried to form sentences but his voice failed him.

“It doesn’t matter what Bruce did or how he felt. You had a family outside of him, Dick. You had me, Wally, Roy, and Donna and there was never a day when we didn’t miss you, where we didn’t wish you were here with us.” She shook his head. “How could you?”

Placing a soothing hand on the redhead's shoulder, Dick wiped away her tears with his free hand and shook his head. “Tears don’t suit you, beautiful,” he whispered and Barbara started laughing.

“You’re a little too late to be flirting with me, Boy Blunder.” She snorted and Dick smiled.

“I got you to stop crying though,” he said triumphantly.

And then Barbara whacked him on the head. He should have expected that. Even after all these years, the redhead still had a mean streak.

“You can’t leave now, Dick. Not when there are so many people who are dying to see you. Don’t you want to see them too?” she asked, looking at him with pleading eyes.

Biting his lip, Dick looked from the former Batgirl to the staircase leading to the Batcave, knowing that there were people waiting to enter, waiting to see him. He wanted to see them too. He wanted to be around his friends but he couldn’t. How was he supposed to give them false hope when in the end he was going to disappear once again? He wasn’t cruel enough to do something like that.

“Dick?” Barbara called out, snapping Dick out of his thoughts and one look at her face, he could feel his resolve waver.

It was the right thing to do. All he had to do was say no. But despite his mind’s protest, Dick found himself saying yes and crying a fresh set of tears as the familiar faces of his friends came into sight, as Wally pulled him into a hug and Donna crashed into both of them. Soon, he was surrounded by warmth, pulled into a group hug and he never wanted to leave. He never wanted to leave these people behind.

 

From meeting his replacement to reconnecting with his friends, the day had been exhausting for Dick. He was spent, emotionally and physically and all he wanted to do was sleep until the next year. But he couldn’t, not when night was approaching and he had a plan to go through.

After so many years of loneliness, it warmed his heart to be surrounded by people who loved him still, people who forgave him for his mistakes. Sitting and listening to the many adventures in the lives of his friends reminded Dick of the old days when darkness was yet to consume him. But as time came for them to leave, as Roy looked him in the eyes and asked him if he would stay, Dick could only nod. He wasn’t foolish enough to make promises he couldn’t keep and maybe the archer knew that as well.

Now, lying in bed and counting the seconds, Dick waited for everyone in the manor to fall asleep so he could finally leave.

As the door to his room opened, he didn’t look up, assuming it was Alfred with his dinner but as a familiar shadow fell on him, Dick’s body stiffened as his gaze shifted to Bruce. The man looked tired, eyes red and hair unkempt. Dick could tell he hadn’t slept for days.

For a while, neither of them spoke but then, Bruce reached out and touched Dick’s hand with his own, his skin warm. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, his voice so low that Dick wasn’t sure he had heard him correctly.

His throat closed up as the man before him looked at him with a sorrowful gaze. No. This wasn’t right. Bruce couldn’t be sad because he had never truly cared for Dick. To him, Dick was just a replaceable sidekick so why did he look as though his heart had been ripped out of his chest?

“I…” Bruce started, his breath hitching. “I should have protected you but I couldn’t. I failed you, more than once.”

“Stop,” Dick whispered. He didn’t want to hear this. He refused to hear this. After all, he had spent years thinking no one cared for him, no one wanted him. How was he supposed to go on knowing he had been wrong all along?

“You were my son,” Bruce went on.

“No…” Dick’s voice wavered but Bruce didn’t stop.

“You must know, Dick. You have to know what you meant to me, what you still mean to me,” he finished and once again, Dick Grayson was left crying, his body turned into a shaking mess.

“Stop lying to me,” he cried, pushing away the older man’s hand. “You replaced me. You forgot me!”

Bruce shook his head, a single tear falling down his face and that was so wrong. Bruce Wayne didn’t cry. “I could never. You are my son. You will always be my son. No one can replace you.”

As more tears spilled from Dick’s eyes, he found himself being pulled into strong arms, surrounded by a warmth that he had missed so desperately. His fingers curled into Bruce’s shirt and the two of them sat in the cave, clinging to one another and weeping.

“Please stay,” Bruce pleaded, pulling back and looking Dick in the eyes. “Stay and let me make this right.”

Without even wanting to, Dick found himself nodding because god, he had wanted this for so long. He had wanted to go home.

“Promise me you won’t leave,” Bruce whispered, tears in his eyes and Dick was so very weak.

“I promise.”

 

Dick’s mind and heart were at war with one another, the sun saying goodbye and leaving him a mess of emotions he didn’t know how to comprehend. The only thing he knew was that he had to get out of here, away from the cave and away from Gotham. He needed to be free because the weight of every promise he had made was crushing him.

Grabbing the set of clothes Alfred had laid out for him, Dick hastily pulled them on, wincing because of his wounds and made his way out of the room he was in. Now, all he had to do was to jack a car or bike and get out. Even if it was tagged, he could later abandon it and find another means of transportation. His weapons and grapple gun had to be around here somewhere.

But as he moved to the locker room where everyone usually stowed away their gear, he felt eyes watching him, making his body stiffen. As he looked at the figure lounging in the darkness, Jason stepped forward, looking unimpressed.

“Going somewhere?” he asked, arms crossed and Dick took a defensive stance. Even though he wanted to leave peacefully, he would fight if the need be. But it seemed that was not what Jason wanted as he held up his hands. “I’m not here to stop you, big guy.”

“Then why are you here?” Dick asked eyes narrowed.

Jason put his hand in the pocket of his sweats and pulled out keys that he proceeded to throw in Dick’s direction. “Those are the keys to my bike. It’s the only one in the cave that’s not tagged,” he explained.

Dick stared at the keys in his hand and then at Jason, waiting for the catch because there just had to be one. Why else was the second Robin helping him?

“Look, I just want to help okay? I can’t stand around and watch as your emotions eat you alive. It isn’t right to you, especially after everything you’ve done for us. So go, get out of here and sort out your thoughts,” Jason said, taking a careful step towards Dick. “Think of this as my way of thanking you for everything you’ve done.”

Dick gripped the key and nodded, giving Jason a grateful smile which he seemed to return.

“Just… come back one day, okay?” Jason said. “Otherwise I won’t hear the end of it.”

“I will,” Dick whispered and then he was gone.

Jason stood in place and heard the roar of an engine, tires screeching until the sound faded. He knew he would have hell to play when everyone woke up. They bombard him with questions, accuse him of not understanding anything and maybe even give him the silent treatment for a while. But unlike them, he hadn’t forgotten a very important thing.

Whether he lived as Robin or Talon, Dick Grayson was always meant to be free.

 

**Epilogue:**

Jason sat by a gargoyle, a cigarette in his hand as he watched the sunset over Gotham city. It had been a month since he had last seen Talon. After he ran away from the cave, the man had most likely fled the city, running as far as he could from Batman and the many vigilantes on the lookout for him. No one was happy with Jason’s involvement in Dick’s escape but eventually, once the anger faded, they understood why he did what he did. They still didn’t stop looking. Despite how much he wanted to see Talon again, Jason never joined them because he knew, they couldn’t find Dick if he didn’t want to be found.

Instead, Jason settled with waiting for the day the man would choose to return on his own.

He had just finished his cigarette when he heard light footsteps behind him. There Talon stood, his clothes now completely black and devoid of gold, a domino replacing the silver owl mask.

“Hey there, Dickie. How are ya?” Jason asked as the older moved to sit beside him.

“Better,” Dick answered, his voice soft.

Even though he knew Talon could talk, Jason still couldn’t get used to Dick’s voice.

“So what’s the verdict?” Jason asked, trying to keep the nervousness out of his voice. Dick’s answer now could make or break any relationship they could have in the future and he so desperately wanted to get to know the first Robin.

Dick looked up at the grey sky, taking in a deep breath and then turned towards Jason, a smile spreading across his lips. “Take me home, Jay.”

**Author's Note:**

> This fic isn't really heavy on romance because in this part I just wanted to bring Dick back into the fold and show his relationship with the Robins. Even though I didn't want to do parts for it, I really want to explore the kind of relationship Dick can develop as he reconciles with the family so there definitely will be more parts.   
> I'm sorry if some of the characters might seem OOC. I tried my best to nail down their personalities or change it slightly based on circumstances. Let me know what you think. All feedback is appreciated. 
> 
> Find me on tumblr ~ @behindtherobinsmask


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